# なえる
## Japanese

* Alternative spellings
* 萎える 痿える

### Etymology

From earlier form なゆ (nayu). First attested in the Utsubo Monogatari of the late 900s; possibly from Old Japanese. Cognate with Northern Amami Ōshima ねーるり (nēruri), Okinawan ねーゆん (nēyun).
Natural progression from Old and Classical Japanese 下二段活用 (shimo nidan katsuyō, “lower bigrade conjugation”) verbs ending in -u to modern Japanese 下一段活用 (shimo ichidan katsuyō, “lower monograde conjugation”) verbs ending in -eru. For the Old / Classical form, see the なゆ entry.
Later appears to have been conflated with verb なふ (nafu), modern spelling なう (nau), also with the lower bigrade conjugation pattern, as attested in compounds such as 蹇・跛 (ashinae, “partial mobility impairment in the legs or feet; someone with such an impairment”) and 手萎・攣 (tenae, “partial mobility impairment in the hands; someone with such an impairment”). While nafu referred to a partial mobility impairment, nayu in reference to a body part indicated weakness or outright paralysis, and the differences in meaning and conjugation likely indicate that these were originally separate derivations.
That said, both Old Japanese ふ (-pu, later -fu) and ゆ (-yu) were auxiliary verb suffixes, respectively indicating repetition or resulting state, and spontaneous state or action, so it is possible that both nafu and nayu share the same verb root.
Japanese references list the resulting modern verb with only the historical spelling なえる.
Likely related to adverb なよなよ (nayonayo, “pliantly, flexibly, supplely”), adjective なよやか (nayoyaka, “pliant, flexible, supple”), verb なよぶ (nayobu, “to be pliant, flexible, supple”).

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) なえる [nàéꜜrù] (Nakadaka – [2])
* IPA: [na̠e̞ɾɯ̟]
* (Kyoto) なえる [nàèrú] (Teiki – [0])

### Verb

なえる • (naeru) intransitive ichidan (stem なえ (nae), past なえた (naeta))
Japanese verb pair :
| active | なやす |
| mediopassive | なえる |
* [from late 1100s] to lose strength, to become physically weaker; to become numb and paralyzed, as in the hands or legs
* [from early 1900s] to lose one's drive
* [from late 900s] to wither, to droop
* [from late 1100s] to bend (such as a branch)
* [from late 900s] to become flexible and soft from wear (said of textiles, either from the fibers breaking down, or from the starch used for stiffening wearing off)
* [date uncertain] to be turned off, to recoil
    Synonym: ひく (hiku)

#### Conjugation

Katsuyōkei ("stem forms") :
| Mizenkei ("imperfective") | なえ | nae |
| Ren’yōkei ("continuative") | なえ | nae |
| Shūshikei ("terminal") | なえる | naeru |
| Rentaikei ("attributive") | なえる | naeru |
| Kateikei ("hypothetical") | なえれ | naere |
| Meireikei ("imperative") | なえよ¹ なえろ² | naeyo¹ naero² |
| Key constructions ||||
| Passive | なえられる | naerareru |
| Causative | なえさせる なえさす | naesaseru naesasu |
| Potential | なえられる なえれる³ | naerareru naereru³ |
| Volitional | なえよう | naeyō |
| Negative | なえない なえぬ なえん | naenai naenu naen |
| Negative continuative | なえず | naezu |
| Formal | なえます | naemasu |
| Perfective | なえた | naeta |
| Conjunctive | なえて | naete |
| Hypothetical conditional | なえれば | naereba |
| ¹ Written imperative ² Spoken imperative ³ Colloquial potential ||||

### References

* 1 2 3 4 5 6 “な・える 【萎・痿】”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2000-2002, released online 2007, →ISBN, concise edition entry available here
* 1 2 “萎える”, in デジタル大辞泉 [Digital Daijisen]‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
* 1 2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ Hirayama, Teruo, editor (1960), 全国アクセント辞典 (Zenkoku Akusento Jiten, “Nationwide Accent Dictionary”) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Tōkyōdō, →ISBN